Comic Title: Essential Avengers Vol. 1 TPB
Publisher: Marvel
Cover Date: 1999
On Sale Date: November 18, 1998 Direct Market Date November 18, 1998
Source: Previews, Vol. 8 #9 (#117)

Direct Market Date November 18, 1998
Source: ComicList, New Comic Book Releases List for Wednesday, November 18, 1998

Direct Market Date November 18, 1998
Source: Diamond Shipping List, Shipping This Week: November 18

Shipping Date November 18, 1998
Source: Comics Buyers Guide, #1305

Cover Price: $14.95
Page Count: 528

See Also: The Guide to Graphic Novels and Collected Editions

Title: "The Coming of the Avengers"
Pages: 22

Feature(s):
Avengers

Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Jack Kirby
Inker: Dick Ayers
Letterer: Sam Rosen

Reprinted From:
Avengers #1 (1963)

Feature Character(s)

• Avengers (origin and first appearance; next appearance in Avengers #2)
• Ant-Man (chronology forthcoming)
• Hulk (chronology forthcoming)
• Iron Man (chronology forthcoming)
• Thor (chronology forthcoming)
• Wasp (chronology forthcoming)

Villain(s)

• Loki (chronology forthcoming)
• Several trolls (no further appearances)

Guest Appearance(s)

• Rick Jones (chronology forthcoming)
• Fantastic Four (chronology forthcoming)
• Mister Fantastic (chronology forthcoming)
• Thing (chronology forthcoming)
• Human Torch (chronology forthcoming)
• Invisible Girl (chronology forthcoming)
• Odin (chronology forthcoming)

Other Character(s)

• Bobby and his mother (a patient of Dr. Don Blake; no further appearances)
• Charlie and his co-worker (a train engineer; no further appearances)
• The Teen Brigade (Willie named; last appearance in Incredible Hulk #6; no further appearances)
• The audience and performers at a traveling circus (no further appearances)
• Two airline pilots (no further appearances)

Comments:
The Avengers are formed.

Synopsis:
Loki is imprisoned on the Isle of Silence. He uses his mental powers to project his astral self to Earth. He happens to encounter the Hulk and decides to use him to trick Thor. Loki arranges for the Hulk to demolish a train bridge by accident. When the Hulk is blamed, Rick Jones contacts the Fantastic Four. Loki redirects the signal to summon Thor instead. Inadvertently, both Ant-Man and Iron Man receive the signal.

Thor, Iron Man, Ant-Man and the Wasp all meet Rick Jones in the southwest. Loki projects a mental image of the Hulk which leads Thor back to Asgard. While Thor is away, Iron Man, Ant-Man, and the Wasp set out to find the Hulk. Once found, they battle him to a standstill.

In Asgard, Thor meets with Odin, then he goes after Loki. The God of Mischief has set a trap for Thor with the help of the trolls from the Isle of Silence. However, Thor defeats them. He then brings Loki to Earth to answer for his antics.

On Earth, Thor interrupts the conflict between Hulk and the other heroes. Hulk's innocence is determined. Loki tries to fight the heroes, but he is instead imprisoned in a tank intended for radioactive waste. At the suggestion of the Ant-Man, the five heroes band together to form the Avengers.